Polk County
Sports
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 25, 2015 10A
SCHEDULE
2014-15 ITEMIZER-OBSERVER ALL-REGION BOYS
BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25
Softball: Western Ore-
gon at San Francisco State
(DH), 1 p.m.
Finding an edge
THURSDAY, MARCH 26
Track and Field: Western
Oregon at Mt. Hood Multi
Meet, Gresham, 9 a.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 27
Baseball: Dallas at
Mountain View, 11 a.m.
Western Oregon at North-
west Nazarene (DH), 2 p.m.
Dallas at Ridgeview, 4 p.m.
Softball: Tournament of
Champions at Turlock, Calif.:
Western Oregon vs. Sonoma
State, 12:15 p.m.; Western
Oregon vs. Academy of Art,
2:15 p.m.; Western Oregon
vs. Chico State, 5:45 p.m.
Track and Field: Western
Oregon at Mt. Hood Multi
Meet, Gresham, 9 a.m.
Minahan
plays fearless
basketball
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — It’s easy to think Dallas junior Everett
Minahan has always been confident on the basketball
court.
As the Dragons’ starting point guard, Minahan direct-
ed the team’s offense and helped guide the squad to a
trip to the first round of the OSAA Class 5A state playoffs.
But it wasn’t always that way. Minahan’s evolution
into a leader this season made him the Itemizer-Observ-
er’s 2014-15 boys basketball Player of the Year.
“Everett’s tenacity and drive set him apart,” Dallas
coach Trent Schwartz said. “I have never had a baskeball
player put in the extra work he did on his own volition
before and after practice.”
Minahan’s path on the court, however, hasn’t always
been easy.
See EDGE, Page 12A
SATURDAY, MARCH 28
Baseball: Western Ore-
gon at Northwest Nazarene
(DH), noon.
Softball: Tournament of
Champions at Turlock, Calif.:
Western Oregon vs. Hawaii-
Hilo, 9 a.m.; Western Ore-
gon vs. Cal State Monterey
Bay, 1:30 p.m.
Track and Field: Western
Oregon at Willamette Invi-
tational, Salem, 10:30 a.m.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29
Softball: Western Oregon
at Tournament of Champi-
ons at Turlock, Calif., TBA.
MONDAY, MARCH 30
Boys Golf: Dallas, Cen-
tral at Mid-Willamette Con-
ference Tournament, Tryst-
ing Tree Golf Club, Corvallis,
noon.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31
Baseball: Dallas at
Lebanon, 4:30 p.m. Central
at Woodburn, 4:30 p.m. Per-
rydale at St. Paul, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Woodburn at
Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Central at
South Albany, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Tennis: Woodburn
at Dallas, 4 p.m. Central at
South Albany, 4 p.m.
Girls Tennis: Dallas at
Woodburn, 4 p.m. South Al-
bany at Central, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
Baseball: Lebanon at
Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Woodburn
at Central, 4:30 p.m.
Softball: Dallas at Cen-
tral, 4:30 p.m. Perrydale at
Scio, 4:30 p.m.
Track and Field: Dallas
at Lebanon, 3:30 p.m. Cen-
tral at Woodburn, 4 p.m.
—
Schedules Subject to Change
QUICK HITS
Spring preview
section is inside
POLK COUNTY — Look-
ing for previews of your fa-
vorite Polk County high
school sports team? You’ll
find them inside the special
2015 Spring Sports Guide
insert included with this
week’s Itemizer-Observer.
The 20-page full-color
section includes season
outlook overviews, sched-
ules and more for all varsity
baseball, softball, track and
field, tennis and golf teams
at Dallas, Central, Perrydale
and Falls City high schools.
There are also features on
Dallas High’s baseball pitch-
ing staff and Central High
track athlete Reba Hoffman.
By The Numbers
11.4
1
2.4
The number of
points Minahan
averaged during
the 2014-15 sea-
son, a team-high
for Dallas.
The number of
varsity games
Minahan had
played prior to
his junior cam-
paign.
The number of
steals per game
Minahan aver-
aged for the
Dragons this
season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Williams catching his dream
WOU senior making waves as possible NFL draft pick in April
By Lukas Eggen
By The
Numbers
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — Western
O r e g o n s e n i o r Ty r e l l
Williams has always been a
Philadelphia Eagles fan. If he
has his way, his allegiance
may soon change.
Williams hopes to join
Kevin Boss among the
names of WOU football
players to make the leap to
the NFL.
“Growing up, it’s always
been a dream of mine to
play in the NFL,” Williams
said. “I always hoped I’d
have a chance to play.”
Williams may see his
dreams realized.
Williams excelled after
participating in Oregon
State’s pro day on March 13.
The 6-foot-3 receiver ran a
4.42 second 40-yard dash; 39
1/2 inch vertical; 4.22 sec-
ond shuttle drill; and a 10
foot, 7 inch broad jump.
Williams’ highlight was
the three cone drill, which
tests agility. Williams fin-
ished in 6.55 seconds, which
would have given him the
top time at the NFL draft
combine earlier this year.
“Coming in, I wanted to
get the numbers I knew I
was capable of putting up,”
Williams said. “I wanted to
make sure I was catching all
www.polkio.com/ns/sports
NFL Bound?
• Western Oregon sen-
ior Tyrell Williams worked
out at Oregon State’s pro
day on March 13.
• Williams has visited
with the New England Pa-
triots and received interest
from the Detroit Lions and
San Diego Chargers.
• The 2015 NFL Draft
runs from April 30 to May
2.
• Williams hopes to be-
come the second WOU
player to be drafted. Kevin
Boss (fifth round, 2007)
was the first.
950
The total number of receiv-
ing yards Williams had dur-
ing the 2014 season.
17.0
The average yards per catch
Williams recorded, good for
second on the team, just
behind Paul Revis (17.1).
8
The number of receiving
touchdowns Williams
caught during his senior
campaign.
the balls thrown to me and
to come out with confi-
dence. I wanted to come out
and have fun and not worry
about what comes after.”
S i n c e h i s p r o d a y,
Williams has seen his draft
stock rise significantly. The
New England Patriots host-
ed Williams for a visit and
several draft analyses have
identified Williams as a
sleeper pick and a potential
mid-to late-round draft
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer file
Western Oregon senior receiver Tyrell Williams is gaining
interest from various NFL teams this spring.
choice. Williams’ agent said
the Detroit Lions and San
Diego Chargers have shown
the most interest along with
the Patriots.
“I’ve had quite a few calls
from teams setting up work-
outs and stuff like that,”
Williams said. “My agent has
been talking to teams as
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well. We’ll keep going from
here and see what happens.”
Williams trained at Para-
bolic Performance in New
Jersey in February to pre-
pare for his pro day. Now,
he’s turning his attention to-
ward impressing any team
workouts he is invited to
take part in.
“I’m preparing for what-
ever the scouts put me
through,” Williams said.
“Hopefully, those workouts
impress them to get more
visits and interviews.”
Williams’ success has
been the culmination of a
strong career at WOU.
See DREAM, Page 11A
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